An Arizona grand jury recently indicted 18 Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump for falsely claiming he won the state in the 2020 election. Court documents revealed that prosecutors discussed the possibility of charging Trump himself but ultimately advised against it.
The grand jurors, who heard 18 days of testimony, were informed by a prosecutor about the U.S. Justice Department policy that limits prosecuting someone for the same crime twice. The prosecutor also highlighted uncertainties regarding the evidence available to charge Trump at that time.
Despite not charging Trump, the grand jury indicted 18 individuals on forgery, fraud, and conspiracy charges. This included 11 Republicans who submitted a document falsely claiming Trump's victory in Arizona, five lawyers associated with the former president, and two former Trump aides.
Although Trump was not charged in the Arizona case, the indictment referred to him as an 'unindicted coconspirator.' The filing also mentioned that prosecutors asked the grand jurors not to bring charges against a group of Republican state lawmakers who signed a document urging then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept forged electoral college certificates.
Attorney Jenna Ellis reached an agreement with Arizona prosecutors to dismiss charges against her in exchange for cooperation. Republican activist Loraine Pellegrino became the first person convicted in the state's fake elector case by pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of filing a false document.
Other defendants, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows, have pleaded not guilty. The case stems from 11 individuals falsely claiming Trump's victory in Arizona, despite President Joe Biden winning the state by over 10,000 votes.
Prosecutors in multiple states, including Michigan, Nevada, Georgia, and Wisconsin, have also filed criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme. The defense argued that their clients' actions were protected by free speech rights, while prosecutors emphasized the independence and discretion of the grand jurors in deciding whether to bring charges.
